Rib Preparation Tool

The present specification relates generally to cooking, and more particularly to hand tools for preparing ribs.

Ribs are a popular meat for grilling and smoking. Ribs must be prepared carefully to produce a good meal. A crucial step in preparation involves removal of a membrane on the back of a rack of ribs.

This membrane lines the ribs and separates them from internal organs and other parts of the animal. Some butchers remove the membrane before sale, but others do not. Almost universally, however, cooks prefer to remove the membrane before grilling or smoking the ribs. Leaving the membrane on the ribs gives the meats a tough and chewy texture and prevents rubs, seasonings, smoke, and other flavors from penetrating the meat.

There are a few conventional methods of removing the membrane. In one method, cooks pull up a corner piece of the membrane from one side of the rib rack. Cooks will frequently slide a knife, such as a butter knife, under the membrane and across the width of the rack to lift an entire side of the membrane off the meat. Once the end of the membrane has been lifted, the cook pulls the rest of the membrane off the rack. However, the membrane is slippery. Some cooks grasp the membrane with a paper towel to increase grip on the membrane. Others continue to slide their knife between the membrane and the meat.

In another method, cooks slide a knife in between the membrane and the meat at an intermediate location between the ends of the rack, pulling up with the knife to create a pocket. The cook then slides his fingers into that pocket and pulls the membrane off the meat. The cook may use a paper towel to help grasp the membrane with this technique, too.

With either of these methods, the cook must be careful to not tear the membrane. He might tear it with the knife, or he may tear it with his own hands. Tearing the membrane is frustrating, because the cook has to restart the process to remove the remaining portion of the membrane. This becomes harder when there is less and less membrane remaining on the meat.

There is a need for a tool to remove the membrane from a rack of ribs.

In an embodiment, a rib preparation tool includes a first jaw having a concave lower surface and a second jaw having a convex upper surface. The first and second jaws are mounted for movement with respect to each other between an open position and a closed position, in which the lower surface of the first jaw overlies and nests with the upper surface of the second jaw. The lower surface of the first jaw has a non-smooth characteristic.

In embodiments, the lower surface of the first jaw presents a plurality of edges directed toward the upper surface of the second jaw. The upper surface of the second jaw has a smooth characteristic. The first jaw has a first medial wall and opposed first sidewalls depending from the first medial wall. The second jaw has a second medial wall and opposed first sidewalls depending from the second medial wall. In the closed position, the first sidewalls hang over the second sidewalls and terminate below the second sidewalls. The first jaw includes a first proximal end and an opposed first distal end, the second jaw includes a second proximal end and an opposed second distal end, and the second distal end projects beyond the first distal end. The second distal end includes a medial wall and opposed sidewalls flanking the medial wall, and the medial wall projects beyond the sidewalls.

In an embodiment, a rib preparation tool includes a first member including a first handle and a first jaw and a second member including a second handle and a second jaw. The first and second members are pivoted to each other to move the first and second jaws between open and closed positions with respect to each other. The first jaw has a non-smooth concave lower surface, and the second jaw has a convex upper surface. In the closed position of the first and second jaws, the lower surface overlies and nests with the upper surface.

In embodiments, the first jaw includes a plurality of spaced-apart slots. The first jaw includes a proximal end and an opposed distal end, and the slots are spaced apart transversely between the proximal and distal ends. The first jaw has a first medial wall and opposed first sidewalls depending from the first medial wall, and the second jaw has a second medial wall and opposed first sidewalls depending from the second medial wall. In the closed position, the first sidewalls hang over the second sides and terminate below the second sidewalls. The first jaw includes a first proximal end and an opposed first distal end, the second jaw includes a second proximal end and an opposed second distal end, and the second distal end projects beyond the first distal end. The lower surface of the first jaw presents a plurality of edges directed toward the upper surface of the second jaw. The upper surface of the second jaw has a smooth characteristic. A bias is disposed between the first and second members and biases the first and second jaws into the open position.

A rib preparation tool includes a first jaw having a non-smooth concave lower surface and a second jaw having a convex upper surface. The first and second jaws are both integrally formed to a common handle. The first and second jaws resiliently flex between an open position and a closed position in which the lower surface of the first jaw overlies and nests with the upper surface of the second jaw. The second jaw includes a tip which, in the closed position of the first and second jaws, projects beyond the first jaw and includes a central nose with a contoured profile edge having an upwardly-directed bevel.

In embodiments, the lower surface of the first jaw includes a plurality of spaced-apart ridges. The first jaw includes a proximal end and an opposed distal end, and the ridges are spaced apart transversely between the proximal and distal ends. The upper surface of the second jaw includes a plurality of spaced-apart ridges. The first jaw includes a first proximal end and an opposed first distal end, the ridges are spaced apart transversely between the first proximal and distal ends, the second jaw includes a second proximal end and an opposed second distal end, and the ridges are spaced apart transversely between the first proximal and distal ends. The first jaw includes a first proximal end and an opposed first distal end, the second jaw includes a second proximal end and an opposed second distal end, and the second distal end projects beyond the first distal end.

The above provides the reader with a very brief summary of some embodiments described below. Simplifications and omissions are made, and the summary is not intended to limit or define in any way the disclosure. Rather, this brief summary merely introduces the reader to some aspects of some embodiments in preparation for the detailed description that follows.

Reference now is made to the drawings, in which the same reference characters are used throughout the different figures to designate the same elements. Briefly, the embodiments presented herein are preferred exemplary embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of all possible embodiments, but rather to provide an enabling description for all possible embodiments within the scope and spirit of the specification. Description of these preferred embodiments is generally made with the use of verbs such as “is” and “are” rather than “may,” “could,” “includes,” “comprises,” and the like, because the description is made with reference to the drawings presented. One having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes may be made in the structure, arrangement, number, and function of elements and features without departing from the scope and spirit of the specification. Further, the description may omit certain information which is readily known to one having ordinary skill in the art to prevent crowding the description with detail which is not necessary for enablement. Indeed, the diction used herein is meant to be readable and informational rather than to delineate and limit the specification; therefore, the scope and spirit of the specification should not be limited by the following description and its language choices.

illustrate an embodiment of a rib preparation tool (hereinafter, the “rib prep tool” or just the “tool”) from alternate front perspective views, showing the toolwith its jaws in an open position. The toolis preferably made of a rigid material, such as metal or plastic, and includes two main members pivoted to each other: a first memberand a second member. When a cook grasps the membersandand squeezes them together, the toolmoves to close its jaws. A cook uses the toolto easily slide under the membrane on a rack of ribs, grasp the membrane, and tear the membrane away from the rack, without slipping and without dirtying his fingers or wasting a paper towel.

The first memberoverlies the second memberin the embodiment shown in these drawings. The first memberincludes a handle portion or handleat one end of the first memberand an opposed jaw portion or jawat an opposed end of the first member. The handleand jaware preferably constructed from a single, integral, monolithic piece of material, such as a molded, extruded, stamped, or otherwise formed piece of plastic or metal.

The handleis an elongate member extending from a proximal endto a distal end. The handleincludes a single bodyextending entirely from the proximal endto the distal end. The bodyhas a medial walland opposed sidewallsandflanking the medial wall.

The medial wallis a roughly flat wall extending along, and forming, a back of the handle. The medial wallextends from the proximal endbut terminates short of the distal end. Offboard of the medial wall, between the medial walland the distal endof the handle, is a gap, better seen inthan in.

The sidewallsandextend entirely from the proximal endto the distal endon either side of the medial wall. They are arranged roughly normal to the medial wall, though they are formed to the medial wallwith curved transitions therebetween. The sidewallsandare formed to an endwallat the proximal endof the handle. The sidewallsandand the endwallall depend from the medial wallby roughly the same distance.

The sidewallsandcooperate with the endwalland the medial wallto define an interior space or holdin the handle. Proximate the distal end, just inboard of the endwall, a latchis mounted for swinging movement on a pinfit between the sidewallsand. The latchmoves between a first position, shown in, in which the latchis stowed in the hold, and a second position, shown in broken line in, in which the latchis slipped over the second memberto hold it close to the first member.

The first memberextends forwardly from the handleto the jaw. The jawis an elongate member extending from a proximal endto a distal end. The proximal endof the jawis located at the distal endof the handle. The jawincludes a single bodyextending entirely from the proximal endto the distal end. Moreover, the bodyof the jawis a contiguous extension of the bodyof the handle. The bodyhas a medial walland opposed sidewallsandflanking the medial wall.

The medial wallis a roughly flat wall extending along, and forming, a back of the jaw. The medial wallextends from the proximal endto the distal end.

The sidewallsandalso extend from the proximal endto the distal endon either side of the medial wall. They are arranged roughly normal to the medial wallwith curved transitions therebetween. The sidewallsandeach depend from the medial wallby roughly the same distance, shown as a double-arrowed line inmarked with the reference character.

The jawhas an upper surfaceand an opposed concave lower surface. The jawfurther includes a plurality of spaced-apart slotsformed entirely through the jawfrom the upper surfaceto the lower surface. The slotsare slender, having a width dimensionshown in. The slotsextend broadly across the jaw, from one closed end on one sidewall, across the medial wall, to an opposed closed end on the other sidewall. Each slothas a length which is normal to the width dimensionand which extends between the opposed closed ends of the respective slot.

The slotsare preferably coextensive to each other. The slotsare arranged in a spaced-apart fashion transversely between the proximal and distal endsandalong the jaw. They are spaced apart from each other by a distance roughly corresponding to the width dimension.

Each slothas a pair of edges directed toward an upper surface of a jaw on the second member. Referring now to, each slothas a front edgeand an opposed back edge, formed by the intersection of the lower surfaceof the jawand an inner wallof the slot. The front and back edgesandare long edges, extending fully along the length of the slotbetween its closed ends. The inner wallof the slotand the lower surfaceof the jaware roughly normal to each other, so that the edgesandare sharp edges. The front edgesare directed downward and backward, or downward and toward the proximal endof the jaw. The rear edgesare directed downward and forward, or downward and toward the distal endof the jaw.

The embodiment of the toolshown in these drawings has twelve slots. Other embodiments have a lesser or greater number of slots. The slots, with their front and back edgesand, provide the lower surfaceof the jawwith a non-smooth characteristic. In other embodiments of the tool, other structural elements and features provide the lower surfaceof the jawwith a non-smooth characteristic. For example, and without limitation, in other embodiments, the lower surfaceis formed with holes, bores, alternately-arranged or -shaped slots, divots, channels, bumps, nubs, textures, ridges, knurling, interruptions, discontinuities, sand, sandpaper, adhesive, tacky material, materials with suitably high coefficients of friction, or other like features. The non-smooth characteristic improves the ability for the jawto hold onto a rib rack membrane without slippage. The non-smooth characteristic includes rough, uneven, pocky, pitted, serrated, wavy, bumpy, coarse, creased, and other structural elements, features, or finishes that are not smooth.

The jawof the first memberbounds and defines a hold. The holdis disposed between the proximal and distal endsandof the jaw, and between the sidewallsand. The holdis sized and shaped to receive the jaw of the second memberwhen the first and second membersandpivot into the closed position.

Between the handleand the jawof the first memberis a yoke. The yokeis a small bridge connecting the jawto the handle. The yokeincludes two sidewallsand, which are contiguous extensions of both the sidewallsandand the sidewallsand, respectively. There is an interior space or gapbetween the two sidewallsand. A pinpasses through the gapand is secured with caps on the outside of the sidewallsand. The pinis the axis of pivotal movement for the first and second membersandwith respect to each other. A bias or spring, such as a torsion spring, is mounted on the pinand disposed and compressed between the first and second membersandto bias them into an open position apart from each other.

Still referring to, the toolalso includes the second member, pivoted to the first member. The second memberhas a handle portion or handleat one end of the first memberand an opposed jaw portion or jawat an opposed end of the first member. The handleand jaware preferably constructed from a single, integral, monolithic piece of material, such as a molded, extruded, stamped, or otherwise formed piece of plastic or metal.

The handleis an elongate member extending from a proximal endto a distal end. The handleincludes a single bodyextending entirely from the proximal endto the distal end. The bodyhas a medial walland opposed sidewallsandflanking the medial wall.

The medial wallis a roughly flat wall extending along, and forming, a back of the handle. The medial wallextends from the proximal endbut terminates short of the distal end. Offboard of the medial wall, between the medial walland the distal endof the handle, is a gap.

The sidewallsandextend entirely from the proximal endto the distal endon either side of the medial wall. They are arranged roughly normal to the medial wall, though they are formed to the medial wallwith curved transitions therebetween. The sidewallsandare also formed to an endwallat the proximal endof the handle. The sidewallsandand the endwallall depend from the medial wallby roughly the same distance.

The second memberextends forwardly from the handleto the jaw. The jawis an elongate member extending from a proximal endto a distal end. The proximal endof the jawis located at the distal endof the handle. The jawincludes a single bodyextending entirely from the proximal endto the distal end. Moreover, the bodyof the jawis a contiguous extension of the bodyof the handle. The bodyhas a medial walland opposed sidewallsandflanking the medial wall.

The medial wallis a roughly flat wall extending along, and forming, a back of the jaw. The medial wallextends from the proximal endto the distal end.

The sidewallsandalso extend from the proximal endto the distal endon either side of the medial wall. They are arranged roughly normal to the medial wallwith curved transitions therebetween. The sidewallsandeach depend from the medial wallby roughly the same distance, shown as a double-arrowed line inmarked with the reference character.

The jawhas a convex upper surfaceand an opposed lower surface. The upper surfaceis smooth. It is preferably a generally continuous, even, uniform surface, free of interruptions, irregularities, discontinuities, impediments, bumps, raised or depressed textures, and is preferably free of slots, divots, channels, bumps, nubs, textures, ridges, knurling, interruptions, discontinuities, sand, sandpaper, adhesive, tacky material, materials with high coefficients of friction, or other like features. It feels smooth to the touch.

At the distal endof the jawis a tip. The medial wallextends further than do the sidewallsand, thus forming a central nose. This nosehas a contoured profile marked by an edge. The edgeis preferably a bevel or chamfer between the upper surfaceand the lower surface. The edgeprojects outwardly furthest at the central nose, then tapers backward and downward along the sidewallsand. The edgeis directed upward.

Between the handleand the jawof the second memberis a yoke. The yokeis a small bridge connecting the jawto the handle. The yokeincludes two sidewallsand, which are contiguous extensions of both the sidewallsandand the sidewallsand, respectively. There is an interior space or gapbetween the two sidewallsand. The gapmoves in and can occupy the same space as the gapin the first member. The pinwhich is secured in the sidewallsandof the first memberalso passes through the sidewallsandand the gap.

In operation, the cook uses the toolto both separate and remove a membrane from a rack of ribs. The toolmoves between an open position, shown in, and a closed position, shown in. In the open position, the cook can slide the jawbetween the membrane and the meat by inserting the edgeon the tipof the jawbetween the membrane and the meat and moving the toolforward along the meat surface. As the cook moves the tool, the edgegently lifts and separates the membrane from the meat cleanly without risk of tearing. The smooth upper surfaceof the jawallows the membrane to slide up and onto the jaw.

Once the cook has moved the toolso that the membrane covers all or most of the upper surfaceof the jaw, or the cook feels that he has slid the toolfar enough under the membrane, he closes the tool. He does this simply by squeezing the handlesandtogether along the linewith sufficient force to overcome the bias of the spring. This brings the toolinto the closed position shown in.

In the closed position, when a membrane is not captured between the jawsand, the lower surfaceof the jawof the first memberoverlies and nests with the upper surfaceof the jawof the second member. Preferably, the entirety of the lower surfaceis in direct and flush contact with the upper surface. Preferably, the entirety of the upper surfaceof the jawis in direct and flush contact with the lower surfaceof the jaw, but for the upper surfacealong the tip. Preferably, all of the slotsare in direct and flush contact with the upper surface, including the front and back edgesand. As noted above, the front and back edgesandare directed toward the upper surface.

Moreover, in the closed position, the sidewallsandof the jawhang over the sidewallsand. The sidewallsandextend the distance(shown in) from the medial wall, and the sidewallsandextend the distance(also shown in) from the medial wall. The distanceis greater than the distance. Thus, as best shown in, the sidewallsandterminate below the sidewallsand. In other words, in the closed position, the sidewallsandextend further below the medial wallthan do the sidewallsand, such that the sidewallsandhang over and even substantially conceal the sidewallsandfrom a side view.

Still further, in the closed position, the distal endof the jawprojects beyond the distal endof the jaw. The jawis slightly longer than the jaw, and so when the jawsandare moved into the closed position, the jawsticks out beyond the jaw. As shown in, the edgeis visible beyond the jaw.

When the cook closes the toolon the membrane, he clamps the membrane between the lower surfaceof the jawand the upper surfaceof the jaw. The non-smooth characteristic of the lower surfaceenhances the grip of the toolon the membrane. The cook can now lift the toolgently away from the rib rack, thereby pulling and removing the membrane off the meat without tearing it. When the cook has fully removed the membrane, he simply opens the tooland drops the membrane into the trash. He can then slide the toolunder the membrane of another rib rack and repeat.

illustrate an embodiment of a rib preparation tool (hereinafter, the “rib prep tool” or just the “tool”) from alternate views, showing the toolwith jaws in open and closed positions. The toolis preferably made of a resilient material, such as plastic, and includes two main members coupled to each other to resiliently flex between those open and closed positions. The toolincludes a first jaw, a second jaw, and a handleto which both the first and second jawsandare integrally and monolithically formed. When a cook grasps the tooland squeezes the jawsandtogether, the toolmoves to open and close its jaws. A cook uses the toolto easily slide under the membrane on a rack of ribs, grasp the membrane, and separate and tear the membrane away from the rack without slipping and without dirtying his fingers or wasting a paper towel.

The handlehas a proximal endand a distal endwith a preferably solid bodyextending therebetween. The bodyhas a convex upper surfaceand an opposed concave lower surface. The bodyis relatively thin between the upper and lower surfacesand, and it curves upward slightly from the distal endto the proximal end.

The distal endof the handlehas a central nosethat extends further distally than do sides of the handleflanking the nose. The nosehas a contoured profile marked by an edge. The edgeis preferably a bevel or chamfer between the upper surfaceand the lower surface. The edgeprojects outwardly furthest at the central nose, then tapers back and downward along to the sides of the handle. The edgeis directed upward.

The handleis a common handle; it is formed integrally and monolithically to both the first and second jawsand, each of which project forwardly from the distal endof the handle. The first jawis above the second jaw. Both of the jaws resiliently flex between the open and closed positions.